Darken Rahl
Skills Darken Rahl is a powerful wizard, able to use both Additive (light) magic, and Subtractive (dark) magic. These are the two sides of the Gift which magical beings possessed. Before the Great Wizard War which took place about three thousand years before Darken was born, it was not unusual for the Gifted to be born with both Additive and Subtractive magic. After the war, however, most of them only ever possessed Additive. This side was considered the magic of life. It was used to add to something that existed, multiplying it, or transforming it into something new. An example of this is Wizard's Fire, which is made by drawing heat to the caster's hands and shooting it as fire once it was multiplied. This method also be used to shoot sparks of lightning. Another use of Additive magic is manipulating the flow and density of air, giving the ability to telekinetically move objects or create shields. On the other side of the Gift, Subtractive magic was the magic of death. Instead of increasing something that existed, it removes it and sends it to the Underworld, where Subtractive magic originated from. If someone possesses both sides of the Gift, they can use them to devastating effect. As an agent of the Keeper of the Underworld, Darken Rahl was granted use of Subtractive magic. He already possessed the Additive side due to his magical bloodline. He is also skilled in Anthropomancy, the art (if it can be called that) of finding answers by examining a living person's entrails. He is also a skilled swordsman, and can use any sharp weapon. As the Lord Rahl of D'Hara, he is served by both the D'Haran army and his Mord-Sith. These are elite female warriors kidnapped as children and tortured until they become the devoted servants of the Lord Rahl. They wield leather rods known as Agiel, which cause unimaginable pain to anyone who touches them. Mord-Sith are broken and trained to use that pain. They are also able to take control of someone's magical power if they have any and use it against them. Darken Rahl has broken some of the Mord-Sith himself, and is a skilled torturer. He is a smooth talker, able to convince people to join or support his cause. However, that can be ruined by his temper. This is a huge weakness with him. Darken Rahl is used to getting what he wants when he wants it. He has a shred of patience, yes, but only a shred. And if it's taking a while to achieve his ends, he can get very angry. Another weakness he has is the fear of anyone who cannot be controlled by his magic, such as Pristinely Ungifted children, upon whom magic has no effect whatsoever. He also fears losing his power, doing anything to keep it and stay alive. Personality Darken Rahl is cold-blooded and evil. He's a ruthless ruler who seeks to control and manipulate everything and everyone around him, and he'll use any means necessary to do so. Perhaps the most dangerous thing about him is the fact that he believes that he is bringing peace to the land by controlling his people to the point where they have no choices. They are to follow him absolutely, worship him like a god, and anyone who dares have a different opinion and speaks out on it is punished severely, with torture and even death. He craves absolute power. He does not like to have his authority challenged, and when things don't go his way, he becomes furious, lashing out with violence and anger. Yet he can also be subtle and smooth, manipulating the weak of mind into believing whatever he wants them to believe. He'll tell you that he's only trying to protect you, that he has your best interests at heart. He'll convince you that he's the good guy, that he's just misunderstood, even while he's slowly putting the screws to you behind your back. He lies as easily as breathing and shows not an ounce of remorse. Appearance Darken Rahl stands at 6 feet in height, and holds a very powerful appearance. He dresses in the red robes that show his power as Lord of D'Hara, with a sword on his belt. Contrary to his nature, most women find him to look attractive, with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes. Rahl can look either friendly or ferocious, even just by showing a flicker of emotion in his eyes. His muscular build shows his strength. Relationships History When he was Lord of D'Hara, Panis Rahl was a good friend of Zeddicus Z'ul Zorander, Wizard of the First Order. Despite being a tyrant, there was peace throughout D'Hara and the Midlands under his rule. Panis was unable to have children and told Zedd of this, so that his friend could fix the problem with his magic. This allowed Panis to father a son: Darken Rahl. D'Harans, however, had a reputation for cruelty and injustice, especially its rulers. Zedd's father Caracticcus saw this in Darken and cursed the boy, having heard a prophecy of the terror he would bring. Panis, however, allowed the curse to run its course and kill his baby son, so that he could be revived with the magical Breath of Life. After this, Panis disguised himself as Zedd and visited Caracticcus, killing him once he discovered he was the one who had cursed Darken. As Darken grew older, Panis finally realised the darkness within his son. He then discovered a prophecy which stated he would have a child who would kill his older brother. So he disguised himself as a shepherd and won the heart of Taralyn, who turned out to be Zedd's daughter. Panis boasted this news to his son. Darken's response was stabbing his father to death while being watched by his faithful servant, General Egremont, commander of the D'Haran army. Panis was secretly revived by a trusted Mord-Sith and fled from D'Hara. His son became the new Lord Rahl. Darken Rahl consolidated his power in D'Hara, and spread his forces to conquer all of the Midlands. Many people followed him willingly, due to his promises to be a just ruler and put an end to conflict. He was anything but. A cruel dictator, his iron grip on the lands forced the people into submitting to his rule. Those who spoke out against or resisted him were captured and faced the penalty of death. The more brave (or foolish) ones formed a group of rebel warriors. Darken Rahl's forces also worked to wipe out the Confessors, the magical female beings who represented justice in the Midlands. Soon enough, Darken Rahl had control of all the land from D'Hara to the magical boundary between the Midlands and Westland. During his reign as the Lord Rahl, Darken heard of a prophecy that a child would be born in the village of Brennidon who would grow up to become the Seeker; a warrior who was to fight evil wherever he found it. It was prophecised that this Seeker would be the one to kill Darken Rahl. So he sent his army to Brennidon with the orders to kill every firstborn child, and so they did. Except one. Unknown to Darken Rahl, a child who was born during the massacre was rescued by the wizard Zeddicus, who went through the boundary and took the child into Westland. The child's name was Richard, and Zedd gave him to George and Mary Cypher to raise as their own. The wizard began living in Westland to watch over the child. Meanwhile, beyond the boundary, Darken Rahl ruled from the People's Palace in D'Hara, comforted by the knowledge that all threats against him had been removed. Two decades passed. Darken Rahl, despite having conquered to territories, wanted even more power. He began searching for the Book of Counted Shadows, which was said to contain the secrets of achieving absolute power. The few remaining Confessors, however, beat him to it. Kahlan Amnell and her sister Denee obtain the book and set out to find the Seeker, for it was said that he would use the book in his quest to defeat Rahl. When they are nearing the boundary, the two sisters come under attack from a quad of D'Haran soldiers. Denee is shot with an arrow and is presumed dead, so Kahlan has to go through the boundary on her own, with the D'Harans in hot pursuit. Richard, now a grown man, sees her comes under attack and helps her defeat the soldiers. Kahlan is followed by Richard as she goes to find Zedd, asking him to take her to the Seeker. The two of them reveal to Richard who he really is, what is destiny is, and present him with the weapon of the Seeker: the Sword of Truth. At first Richard doesn't believe this tale, but when his father is killed by one of the D'Harans, he allows Zedd to name him as the Seeker. In D'Hara, Darken Rahl feels the power of that magic, and he realises that the Seeker is alive. He orders his sorcerers to open the boundary, and when they do, his soldiers move in to kill the Seeker. Before they are defeated, Richard burns the Book of Counted Shadows in order to prevent them from taking it to Rahl. So Richard, Kahlan and Zedd set out into the Midlands, beginning their quest to defeat Darken Rahl. Enraged at the loss of the Book of Counted Shadows, Rahl began working towards a different means of obtaining power: the three Boxes of Orden. Whoever possesses the boxes will have the magic to control everyone and everything. He had already found the first box, and the second-in-command of the D'Haran army, General Demmin Nass, delivered the second to him, despite interference from the Seeker. The ultimate power was nearly in Darken Rahl's grasp. He only needed the last box, which was known to be in the possession of Queen Milena of Tamarang. Darken agreed to all of Milena's demands in exchange for the third box, knowing that once he had the power of Orden, he would have total control and her demands would be meaningless. Unfortunately for Rahl, the box was stolen by Zedd, who was acting as the puppeteer for Princess Violet's birthday, the daughter of Queen Milena. A chase began across the Midlands, with Rahl's forces pursuing the Seeker for the box. Zedd eventually hid the box and Darken Rahl sent his best Mord-Sith, Denna, to find it in order to make up for her failure when she was unable to make Richard her pet when she had captured him before. She used the Pristinely Ungifted girl, Jennsen, who Richard discovered was his sister. He also discovered that their mother, who was captured by Denna, was Zedd's daughter, making him the Seeker's grandfather. Denna threatened to kill Jennsen's mother unless she was given the third Box of Orden to take to Darken Rahl. Richard agreed, as long as Denna told them how to steal the other two from Rahl. In order to ensure that he kept to the deal, Denna killed Richard and Jennsen's mother. She would have to be given the third box if they wanted their mother to be revived by the Breath of Life before the sun rose, otherwise it would not work. Jennsen was able to get through all of the magical defences around the People's Palace, stealing the first two Boxes of Orden from Darken Rahl. Unfortunately they were too late, and Denna was unable to revive Jennsen's mother. After defeating her by using the power of Orden, and nearly succumbing to its corrupting effects, Richard gave the first two boxes to Jennsen for safekeeping while he, Kahlan and Zedd looked after the third. When Darken Rahl discovered that the boxes had been stolen from him, he began destroying the people who had helped the Seeker at any point in any way, one village at a time. He then discovered that a copy of the Book of Counted Shadows existed, but the Seeker found it before him, foiling his plans once again. The book showed Richard that if Kahlan used her power as a Confessor to Confess him as he put the Boxes of Orden together, it would negate the corrupting effect of the boxes, rather than enslave him to her will as Confession would normally do. A Confessor's power came from love, and anyone who is Confessed becomes completely devoted to their Confessor. But just as Richard is about to put the boxes together, Darken Rahl and his Mord-Sith attack. Zedd tries to fend them off with Wizard's Fire, but they use it to burn him to death. The Mord-Sith Cara struck Richard with her Agiel just as he puts the Boxes of Orden together and Kahlan uses her power of Confession on him. The resulting string of magic sent Richard and Cara years into the future. Kahlan, meanwhile, is captured by Darken Rahl. He puts a Rada'Han on her neck; an object which prevents the one wearing it from using whatever magical power they possess. This allowed Darken to marry Kahlan without risk of her Confessing him. The only reason that Kahlan agreed to marry Rahl was that the Witch Woman Shota had told her that in order for Richard to return from the future, the accident which sent him there in the first place had to be re-created, combining the magical powers of Orden, Confession and Agiel once again. This would be able to happen if Kahlan had a Confessor child with Darken, and so she agreed to do so. Rahl, however, spelled their child so that it was a male Confessor, who were naturally evil with an insatiable bloodlust. He planned to raise their son, Nicholas, to help him take complete control since the Boxes of Orden were sent into the future with Richard. Nicholas, however, ended up becoming a worse tyrant than Darken Rahl, killing his parents and Confessing every single person in the land. Then in the future, Richard tricked Nicholas into Confessing him just as he used the Boxes of Orden while Cara struck him with her Agiel again. This sent them both back to the past, to the point where Darken and his Mord-Sith arrived as Richard was about to use the power of Orden. Cara saved Zedd from being destroyed by his own Wizard's Fire, and Richard gained the power of Orden. Angry and desperate for that power, Darken Rahl picked up the Sword of Truth and stabbed the boxes with it. The resulting explosion killed him and sent him to the Underworld. Though the Seeker had at last defeated Darken Rahl, it had unleashed an even more powerful evil. When the Boxes of Orden were destroyed, it created tears in the veil that separated the world of the living from the Underworld. This allowed the Keeper of the Underworld to unleash his servants, including the creatures known as Skreelings, and Banelings; people who had died and were brought back to life, in exchange for killing people and sending their souls to the Keeper. He was also served by the Sisters of the Dark, who once belonged to the Sisters of the Light, but turned away from the Creator to serve the Keeper. Darken Rahl became the Keeper's chief agent, communicating with his servants and relaying his orders. Before setting out to seal the tears in the veil using the Stone of Tears, Richard is visited by a battalion of the D'Haran army - who hail him as the new Lord Rahl. It was finally revealed to him that Darken Rahl was his half-brother, that Panis Rahl was his father as well as Darken's. However, he didn't become the new Lord Rahl yet, concentrating on repairing the veil. He, Kahlan and Zedd were joined by Cara, who was betrayed by the other Mord-Sith as they did not want to follow the Seeker. Darken marked Richard with the hand of the Keeper, marking him for death. Along their quest, Richard meets his father, Panis Rahl, who helps him find a scroll with instructions on how to use the Stone of Tears once it's found. Panis, however, was killed by the Sisters of the Dark and his soul was sent to the Underworld, where Darken was awaiting him. Sister Marianna stole the scroll before Richard could read it and took it to a Mord-Sith temple. There, Darken Rahl ordered General Egremont to kill Walter, a double of himself he had employed in the past. Walter escaped with the help of the servant girl and ran into the Seeker. Rahl appeared, and told the Seeker he would have to kill Walter to allow him to return to the living, or he would have Sister Marianna burn the scroll. Richard agreed, having Walter's soul placed in the body of a dead D'Haran, and Rahl resurrected in Walter's body, with the help of a Sister of the Dark Confessed by Kahlan and Cara using the Breath of Life. Egremont was killed, but Darken Rahl escaped, followed by his Mord-Sith as he betrayed the Keeper, no longer serving him. Richard discovered that he had to take the Stone of Tears to the Pillars of Creation in order to repair the veil. Cara, however, was captured and rebroken by Darken Rahl, becoming his devoted Mord-Sith after her friend Dahlia betrayed her. She stole the Stone from Zedd and delivered it to Rahl, but Zedd then cast the Spell of Unknowing on Cara to try and reverse her rebreaking. After he cast the spell, he found himself at the People's Palace in D'Hara, with Richard and Kahlan getting married by Darken Rahl. He soon realised that when he cast the spell it changed time so that Cara never became a Mord-Sith at all. This meant that when Richard was using the Boxes of Orden to defeat Rahl for the first time, he and the Mord-Sith arrived late, allowing Richard to bend them to his will. He became Lord Rahl of D'Hara, using the Power of Orden justly, and marrying Kahlan. The Keeper of the Underworld, however, exists outside of the land of the living, and therefore time. He knew that it had been changed somehow. Jennsen, Richard's sister, who had been attending the wedding, went out to visit the family of a friend she had who died. Along the way she and her escort were ambushed by Sisters of the Dark. They kidnapped her, but one of the D'Harans captured a Sister and brought her to Richard. Using the Power of Orden he got her to tell him where Jennsen had been taken. He and Darken raced to rescue their sister, along with some Mord-Sith, and battled with the Sisters. During this, however, another group of Sisters sneaked into the People's Palace and stole the Boxes of Orden, resulting in Richard losing their power. Darken and his Mord-Sith captured him, then took the boxes from the Sisters. Darken Rahl now had that power and made Richard his servant. Zedd, however, managed to perform the Spell of Unknowing on Dahlia so that she never betrayed Cara to Darken Rahl. This put things back to normal, and the four heroes hurried to the Pillars of Creation. Darken Rahl was happy to let them do so, knowing that if he wanted to be safe from his former master the Keeper, the veil would have to be repaired. But Sister Nicci, a Sister of the Dark, forced him to tell her where the Seeker was going. In order to ensure that his brother's quest was a success, Darken went after Nicci to try and stop her from killing Richard. He was not able to, but Nicci failed and was killed. Richard managed to repair the veil, the Keeper was sealed away, and Darken Rahl took Nicci as his prisoner after she was revived with the Breath of Life. He strapped a Rada'Han around her neck so that she couldn't use her magic against him. With her and the Mord-Sith, Darken Rahl began planning to take D'Hara back. But while he considered on how to take revenge on his brother, the black tendrils found him. And he found himself in Pandora. Pandora History